Tunnel spin injection into graphene using Al2O3 barrier grown by atomic layer deposition on functionalized graphene surface

We demonstrate electrical tunnel spin injection from a ferromagnet to graphene through a high-quality Al₂O₃ grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The graphene surface is functionalized with a self-assembled monolayer of 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) to promote adhesion and growth of Al₂O₃ with a smooth surface. Using this composite tunnel barrier of ALD-Al₂O₃ and PTCA, a spin injection signal of ∼30 Ω has been observed from non-local magnetoresistance measurements at 45 K, revealing potentially high performance of ALD-Al₂O₃/PTCA tunnel barrier for spin injection into graphene.     

TMR of double spin-valve type AF/FM/I/FM/I/FM/AF magnetic tunneling junctions

An unusually large enhancement of TMR at 77 K was observed in double barrier tunnel junctions (DBTJ). This is explained with extended Julliere's model which yields a twice larger TMR value. When the spin coherence length is much smaller at higher temperature, DBTJ is shown to work as a series of two single barrier tunnel junctions.     

Formation of tunnel barrier using a pseudo-atomic layer deposition method and its application to spin-dependent tunneling junction

The tunneling barrier is crucial to the overall performance in magnetic tunnel junctions. We have suggested a new formation method for the tunnel barrier, which has utilized pseudo-atomic layer deposition with sputtering. As is well known, all metallic thin films oxidize more or less under atmospheric conditions. Using this phenomenon, an ultra-thin metallic layer was prepared and exposed to the oxygen ambient repeatedly to reach a desired thickness for the tunnel barrier. From transmission electron microscopy, the tunnel barrier has been confirmed to have a clear and smooth interface between magnetic layers and the tunnel barrier. From atomic force microscopy, it has also been confirmed to have a low surface roughness. The fabricated magnetic tunnel junction has been shown to exhibit tunnel resistivities from 60 to 92 kΩ μm² and a maximum tunneling magnetoresistance ratio of 40%. PACS 75.47.-m; 75.70.-i; 72.25.-b     

The tunneling magnetoresistance in GaMnAs/GaAs/GaMnAs junctions

The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) in GaMnAs/GaAs/GaMnAs magnetic tunnel junctions is studied under an extended coherent tunneling approach where both the contributions of the light holes and the heavy holes and their mutual competitions are investigated. It is shown that the TMR ratio can increase with decreasing the barrier strength, which is different from the results in the conventional magnetic tunnel junctions but a good news for the applications. It is also shown that the presence of the pinholes in the thin barrier layer gives a possible explanation of the peak in the barrier thickness dependence of the TMR ratio.     

Metal point contacts and metal-oxide tunnel barriers fabricated with an AFM

We report the fabrication of atomic point contacts and lateral tunnel junctions by using anodic oxidation of thin metal films with an atomic force microscope.In situelectrical measurements were used as feedback to control the fabrication of metal nanowires that were subsequently anodized through their cross section to form point contacts and tunnel junctions. When the conductance of an Al device is reduced below 5×10⁻⁴S it starts to decrease in discrete steps of 2e²/h. In some devices we are able to stabilize the conductance at a value near 2e²/hwhich corresponds to a single, atomic-sized conducting channel. Similar experiments on Ti devices result in a continuous decrease of the conductance and the formation of stable tunnel junctions. This continuous behavior is a result of the large series resistance and the small oxide barrier height of the Ti/TiO_xsystem.     

A comparison of barrier type tunnel junction and point contact tunnel junction formed on the same highT c material

By making a combination of both point contact and barrier type tunnel junctions on a single sample of the highT _c superconductor BSCCO (2212) single crystal, we have shown that as the tunneling tip is slowly retracted from the surface a point contact junction gradually evolves from a N-S short to a high resistance tunnel junction. The scaled dynamic conductance (dI/dV) of this point contact tunnel junction becomes almost identical to that of a conventional barrier type tunnel junction and both show a linear dI/dV —V curve. The observation implies that at high resistance a point contact junction behaves in the same way as a barrier type tunnel junction. We suggested that the almost linear tunneling conductance obtained in both the cases most likely arises due to an intrinsic characteristic of the surface of the crystal comprising of a mosaic of superconducting regions of the order of a few nanometers. We also conclude that the barrierless (N-S) point contact obtained by piercing the surface oxide layer of the crystal shows Andreev reflection which we suggest as the origin of the zero bias anomaly often observed in point contact junctions.     

Critical thickness for ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric effect in multiferroic tunnel junction with symmetrical and asymmetrical electrodes

The critical thickness for ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric effects have been investigated for the multiferroic tunnel junction with symmetric and asymmetric metallic electrodes based on density functional theory. The ferroelectric polarization of a barrier is still retained down to 2 unit cells scale for the asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junction. The greater cause, leading to the reduction, or even complete elimination for the critical thickness, is the difference in the work function for the two asymmetrical electrodes. In addition, the effect of magnetoelectric coupling is obvious. The asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junction provides the possibility for the miniaturising and multifunctional spin electronic devices.     

Spectroscopic measurement of spin-dependent resonant tunneling through a 3D disorder: the case of MnAs/GaAs/MnAs junctions

We propose an analytical model of spin-dependent resonant tunneling through a 3D assembly of localized states (spread out in energy and in space) in a barrier. An inhomogeneous distribution of localized states leads to resonant tunneling magnetoresistance inversion and asymmetric bias dependence as evidenced with a set of experiments with MnAs/GaAs(7-10 nm)/MnAs tunnel junctions. One of the key parameters of our theory is a dimensionless critical exponent beta scaling the typical extension of the localized states over the characteristic length scale of the spatial distribution function. Furthermore, we demonstrate, through experiments with localized states introduced preferentially in the middle of the barrier, the influence of an homogeneous distribution on the spin-dependent transport properties.     

正常金属/超导/正常金属双垒隧道结中的量子相干输运

考虑到量子相干效应和界面散射效应 ,利用 L ambert理论模型 ,计算正常金属 /绝缘层 /超导 /绝缘层 /正常金属双垒隧道结中的准粒子输运系数和隧道谱。研究表明 :( 1)所有的准粒子输运系数和电导谱在超导能隙之上都随能量作周期性振荡 ,其振荡周期依赖于超导层的厚度 ;( 2 )在超导能隙之上 Andreev反射系数随能量呈现周期性消失现象 ;( 3)在绝缘层势垒强度取很大的隧道极限下 ,超导层中会形成一系列的准粒子束缚态 ,其位置由量子化条件决定 ;( 4)界面散射效应不仅能压低各子能隙电导峰 ,还能使子能隙电导峰劈裂为两个峰。     

Tunnel injection into GaAs/AlGaAs long period superlattices

Electron injection through a tunnel barrier into a long period GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice is investigated. Seven negative differential resistance (NDR) regions are observed, resulting from resonant tunneling into the first well of the superlattice. Their positions can be quantitatively accounted for by considering the distribution of the electric field in the depletion region and the tunnel barrier. Upon application of a magnetic field parallel to the layers, the NDR's are shifted and weakened, which can be explained in terms of conservation of energy and canonical momentum. Furthermore, optical phonon generated conductance oscillations are observed although the depletion region is punctuated by the superlattice structure.     

Low energy dynamics of two-dimensional lateral tunnel junctions

We report on the low temperature tunneling characteristics of two-dimensional lateral tunnel junctions (2DLTJs) consisting of two coplanar two-dimensional electron systems separated by an in-plane tunnel barrier. The tunneling conductance of the 2DLTJ exhibits a characteristic dip at small voltages—consistent with the phenomenon of zero-bias anomaly in low-dimensional tunnel junctions—and a broad conductance peak at the Coulombic energy scale. The conductance peak remains robust under magnetic fields well into the quantum Hall regime. We identify the broad conductance maxima as the signature of the pseudogap in the tunneling density of states below the characteristic Coulomb interaction energy of the 2DLTJ.     

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy evidence for a surface chemical reaction

The inelastic electron tunnel effect has been used to show the occurence of a surface chemical reaction between an organic molecule (benzoyl chloride) dopant and the tunnel barrier of a junction (Al-oxide-Pb).     

Effect of graphene tunnel barrier on Schottky barrier height of Heusler alloy Co_2MnSi/graphene/n-Ge junction

We demonstrate that the insertion of a graphene tunnel barrier between Heusler alloy Co_2MnSi and the germanium(Ge) channel modulates the Schottky barrier height and the resistance–area product of the spin diode. We confirm that the Fermi level is depinned and a reduction in the electron Schottky barrier height(SBH) occurs following the insertion of the graphene layer between Co_2MnSi and Ge. The electron SBH is modulated in the 0.34 eV–0.61 eV range. Furthermore,the transport mechanism changes from rectifying to symmetric tunneling following the insertion. This behavior provides a pathway for highly efficient spin injection from a Heusler alloy into a Ge channel with high electron and hole mobility.     

Experimental evidence and consequences of rare events in quantum tunneling

Tiny spatial fluctuations of tunnel barrier parameters are shown to have dramatic consequences on the statistical properties of quantum tunneling. A direct experimental evidence is provided that the tunnel current through metal-oxide junctions, imaged at a nanometric scale, exhibits broad statistical distributions extending over more than 4 orders of magnitude. Striking effects of broad current distributions are shown: the total tunnel transmission is dominated by few highly transmitting sites and the typical current density varies strongly with the size of the junction. Moreover, self-averaging of the tunnel current fluctuations occurs only for unexpectedly large junction areas. Received 1 April 1999     

Experimental observation of bias-dependent nonlocal Andreev reflection

We investigate transport through hybrid structures consisting of two normal metal leads connected via tunnel barriers to one common superconducting electrode. We find clear evidence for the occurrence of nonlocal Andreev reflection and elastic cotunneling through a superconductor when the separation of the tunnel barrier is comparable to the superconducting coherence length. The probability of the two processes is energy dependent, with elastic cotunneling dominating at low energy and nonlocal Andreev reflection at higher energies. The energy scale of the crossover is found to be the Thouless energy of the superconductor, which indicates the phase coherence of the processes. Our results are relevant for the realization of recently proposed entangler devices.     

Al2O3隧道结势垒参数与上电极金属的相关性

本文采用两种极端情况的梯形势垒模型对上电极分别为Au,Ag和Cu的三种Al-Al₂O₃-M隧道结势垒参数进行了研究,通过用上述模型对77K温度下结的伏安特性进行拟合计算表明:这两种模型都能很好地解释实验结果;所得到的势垒参数表现出与结上电极金属的原子半径、金属材料的脱出功以及Al₂O₃绝缘介质的电子亲合势有关。 关键词：     

Electrical characteristics of Pt/Au Schottky contacts to plasma-etched Al0.45Ga0.55N

The effects of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching on electrical properties of Pt/Au–Al_0.45Ga_0.55N Schottky contacts are investigated. There are two linear parts in the ln I–V curves of ICP-etched Schottky contacts at small forward currents at 198–298 K. Thermionic field emission (TFE) theory analysis shows that Schottky contact with ICP etching has much lower barrier height and higher tunnel transmission probability than that without ICP etching, which could be attributed to plasma damage introduced on the ICP-etched surface. The down linear part is probably connected to surface tunneling component originated from plasma-etched surface which joins Schottky area to Ohmic area.     

Nb/Al-AlOx/Nb隧道结的制备

本文报道了在射频磁控溅射装置上Nb/Al-AlO_x/Nb隧道结的制备工艺和所获得的结果。对SIS三层结构形成时基片的温度、势垒,以及电极形成方法等问题进行了讨论。 关键词：     

Photocarrier transport in 2D macroporous silicon structures

The mechanisms of photocarrier transport through a barrier in the surface space-charge region (SCR) of 2D macroporous silicon structures have been studied at photon energies comparable to that of the silicon indirect band-to-band transition. It was found that the photoconductivity relaxation time was determined by the light modulation of barrier on the macropore surface; as a result, the relaxation itself obeyed the logarithmic law. The temperature dependence of the photoconductivity relaxation time was determined by the thermionic emission mechanism of the current transport in the SCR at temperatures T > 180 K, and by the tunnel current flow at T < 100 K, with temperature-independent tunnelling probability. The photo-emf was found to become saturated or reverse its sign to negative at temperatures below 130 K because of light absorption due to optical transitions via surface electronic states close to the silicon conduction band. In this case, the surface band bending increases due to the growth of a negative charge of the semiconductor surface. The equilibrium electrons in the bulk and photoexcited holes on the macropore surface recombine through the channel of multistage tunnel recombination between the conduction and valence bands.     

Room-temperature tunnel magnetoresistance and spin-polarized tunneling through an organic semiconductor barrier

Electron spin-polarized tunneling is observed through an ultrathin layer of the molecular organic semiconductor tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq3). Significant tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) was measured in a Co/Al2O3/Alq3/NiFe magnetic tunnel junction at room temperature, which increased when cooled to low temperatures. Tunneling characteristics, such as the current-voltage behavior and temperature and bias dependence of the TMR, show the good quality of the organic tunnel barrier. Spin polarization (P) of the tunnel current through the Alq3 layer, directly measured using superconducting Al as the spin detector, shows that minimizing formation of an interfacial dipole layer between the metal electrode and organic barrier significantly improves spin transport.